UCF football players, coaches: Team chemistry much better

UCF defensive tackle Victor Gray said he can sense a major change in the football program.

Last season, the Knights thought they had a talented lineup but struggled to post a 5-7 record. Gray said the football team is determined not to repeat mistakes, aiming for a Conference USA title.

He said one key ingredient for success — team chemistry — is much better than it was when the Knights were preparing for what would end up being a losing season.

"It's a lot better than it has been," said Gray, who is poised to enter his junior season and third year as a starter on the defensive line. "Last year, I said around the same time the team chemistry wasn't there. Right now, we're clicking a lot better offensively and defensively. You know, we're always going to be friends, but the chemistry of playing with one another is a lot better because we've been around each other. We made it a point from last season, we're not going to have a repeat of last season. We're not going to be anywhere near that."

UCF coach George O'Leary said he was equally pleased with the senior leadership and team chemistry after the Knights completed spring practice Saturday. He said he is confident the veterans on the team will work to make sure the Knights continue to improve during the offseason.

Improved team chemistry was one of the big things the Knights picked up during spring practice. Here's a closer look at four other things we learned about the UCF football team after spring drills:

Bortles is ready to lead

Redshirt freshman quarterback Blake Bortles showed improvement throughout spring practice and seems to be ready to lead the UCF offense. He has embraced challenges, including the potential return of Jeff Godfrey. Bortles didn't have a flawless spring game, with many of his receivers dropping passes that could have extended drives, but he has demonstrated he has the talent and leadership skills needed to deliver the ball to a variety of targets on offense.

Though Bortles' progress was good news for the Knights, the team clearly lacks depth at the quarterback position. Missouri transfer Tyler Gabbert will be a welcome addition to the program during the summer. If Jeff Godfrey accomplishes everything he has to do to rejoin the team this off-season, he also could help the Knights.

Knights working on depth

This spring was a little bit dull compared with previous years because UCF returned a lot of starters who made the improvements needed to hold on to their jobs. The bigger challenge will be depth at a variety of positions. Young players could be in the mix for reserve roles at cornerback, safety and linebacker position.

Receivers are better than advertised

For whatever reason, the UCF wide-receiver unit had a rough spring game. The Knights dropped at least 12 passes that could have extended drives. It was an uncharacteristic performance for a group that showed the potential to help make big plays for the offense. Freshman Breshad Perriman's strong play was the biggest surprise of the spring, but Quincy McDuffie, Josh Reese and Rannell Hall also looked capable of helping the Knights.

Kickers on the rise

UCF's kickers got off to a rough start during spring workouts, missing a lot of field-goal attempts under pressure. Shawn Moffitt and Sean Galvin refined their technique and were much improved by the end of spring practice. Moffitt needs to keep improving his length strength, while Galvin has to get more height on his kicks or risk having them blocked.